Fall of the White Fang
by Mr. Cereal
Summary: Chronicles the fall of the White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo. Abandoned.


**A/N:** Well... this is the first time I'm posting a story up, but please, _don't_ be gentle. I would really like to know if it's any good, so criticism is very much welcomed. If the story is lacklustre, or just outright sucks, tell me so. I'd appreciate some comments on ways to improve on the story. Thanks.

* * *

"_Kakashi is the son of the genius ninja Hatake Sakumo, known as the Konoha White Fang. He had respect on the same level as the Legendary Sannin."_ –Yondaime Hokage

It was the height of the Second Great Ninja War. Aligned against Konohagakure were the other two great ninja villages, Sunagakure and Iwagakure. Despite that, Konoha itself looked as peaceful as ever. A the centre of the prosperous village, stood the Hokage's office.

"The Hawk Ridge guards one of the most important passes on the border between the Fire and Wind Countries. I need you to deliver an urgent message to our garrison there. It is of paramount importance that you ensure the message reaches them." The Sandaime paused a little, puffing on his pipe. "This is an A-rank mission."

Fastening the scroll onto his flak jacket, Hatake Sakumo nodded curtly, speaking on behalf of his team. "It will be done, Hokage-sama."

The Sandaime raised a grizzled hand to his side. "Scatter!" The four-man team disappeared in a flash, the breeze in their wake ruffling the robe of the Hokage.

* * *

Sakumo signaled for his team to stop. They had traveled non-stop for the entire day. The sun was setting, and soon it would be too dark to travel. Team Sakumo dropped down from the branches high up on the canopy to the mossy ground of the forest. Sakumo glanced at his teammates. As this was an A-rank mission, all of them were Jounins. He had worked closely with them on many occasions. He was particularly fond of one of them, Uchiha Fugaku. Eight years his junior, Fugaku was also a prodigy, not uncommon for the Uchiha Clan. 

As he got into his sleeping bag, Sakumo allowed his mind to drift for a while. He thought of his son, Kakashi. Even at this young age, Kakashi was beginning to show signs of genius. He was already close to completing the Academy course. Sakumo smiled at the thought. _He will be a fine shinobi one day._

* * *

The next day, Team Sakumo started traveling before dawn broke, and managed to cover most of the Fire Country. "In two hours time we should be at Hawk Ridge. Keep alert," Sakumo instructed his team, indicating at a blip on a map of the region, even though all of them had already memorized the map thoroughly. His teammates nodded in the affirmative, and continued silently. 

The landscape had already begun to change. From the lush jungles of the Fire Country, the vegetation gradually thinned out until there was only sparse clumps of grass huddled together on caked soil. They also begun descending into a ravine. Sakumo knew that it was perfect terrain for enemy shinobi to ambush them, but he had no choice, for if they did not enter through the ravine, they would be easily discovered by Suna shinobis.

Dark shadows fell across the ravine. As they sneaked into the embrace of the long shadows, all seemed quiet. Too quiet. _Something is out of place here…… what?_ Scanning the walls of the ravine for any signs of an ambush, he found none. Nevertheless, he signaled his team to stop, indicating Fugaku to scout the area. His eyes turned red and swirled, settling into three black tomoes. Stealthily, he created a kage bunshin, and crept forward in sync with his bunshin.

Without any preamble or warning, there was a flurry of flashes and whooshes, barely missing Fugaku, kicking up clouds of rusty-coloured dust. As the dust settled, Sakumo saw a wooden puppet with various lethal-looking protrusions from the main body bearing down upon Fugaku. Fugaku had blocked one of it's sword thrusts with a kunai. The puppet was connected to a few strands of pure chakra. The other end of the glowing strands were connected to a shinobi dressed in a full-body black suit. Fugaku let out a smirk.

A dozen feet or so away, the other Fugaku clasped his hands together to form a seal. "Ninpou! Bunshin Daibakuha! (Clone Great Explosion!)" The kage bunshin near the puppet exploded in a great inferno of fire. The Sand-nin controlling the now-destroyed puppet recoiled in surprise.

"Impressive……" a female voice remarked.

Sakumo glanced upwards sharply. A grey-haired kunoichi, probably already well into her middle ages, stood on a small foothold on the walls of the ravine. She had a steely and forbidding look.

Sakumo started. _That's……_ "Chiyo of the Red Sand," he muttered in recognition. Founder of the Suna Puppet Corps, she was a shinobi infamous not only for her skill in using puppets for combat, but also for her lethally effective poisons, many of which she created herself.

Sakumo unsheathed his white chakra blade. "Hmmm…… white hair, white chakra…… you're the White Fang of Konoha, are you not?" Her sharp eyes stared down into Sakumo's. It was not so much a question than a statement. Pulling out a scroll, she said, "Let's see if you deserve that reputation!" An imposing puppet with a grotesque face appeared in front of her.

With the slightest twitch of her fingers, the puppet moved with lethal grace, lunging forward with every intent to kill. Sakumo and the puppet parried and thrust, each looking for an opening. As Sakumo blocked a tackle to his shoulder, Chiyo barked in a short but clear voice, "Bloom, Uekiya!" The puppet's torso opened up like a deadly iron flower, sprouting several sharp petals and a pointed iron tip, dripping with toxin.

_Shit!_ Sakumo leapt backwards just in time, but before he had time to catch his breath, the iron tip shot out like a dart, it's toxic point dripping pure venom. Sakumo only had time to turn his body slightly before the dart whizzed past, making a cut in the cloth of his shirt. The place where his shirt had been grazed fizzled a little, a faint wisp of toxic vapour wafting from the cut. _That was a close one._

But the puppet, Uekiya had begun its attack again, changing attack patterns. Its blade met Sakumo's chakra blade inches from his face. Suddenly, Sakumo felt a little telltale gust of wind behind him. _What the-_ Quickly, he made the seal for kage bunshin. A kage bunshin appeared behind his back, blocking the attacks of two black-robed puppets with its sword. Their chakra threads were connected to Chiyo's hands.

Chiyo scowled at having her ruse uncovered. Sakumo, panting and sweating, returned her glare. They were in a deadlock that neither of them dared to break. The sounds of Sakumo's teammates fighting the other puppeteer permeated the valley. Sakumo risked glancing sideways to see how the fight was going. Chiyo dropped her glance to the ground for a while. "Your opponent is me," she said. "My son will take care of your teammates, taicho," Chiyo put an emphasis on the last word mockingly. _Son!?_ "That's right. That is no ordinary shinobi. That is my son, Daichi of the Red Sand. As I said, your pathetic teammates will be dispatched soon enough." Chiyo's steely eyes focused back on Sakumo, narrowed. "Meanwhile, you can hardly afford to be distracted!" She moved her delicate fingers, and all three puppets began their assault again.

* * *

Uchiha Fugaku retreated a few steps, trying to evade the multiple scythes that were connected to the puppet's body through steel ropes. "Meet my masterpiece, Kokushibyou," Daichi announced. "Remember that name, for by that name you shall die!" With the last syallable, Kokushibyou charged towards Fugaku, scythes extended. 

Fugaku threw a few kunai to deflect the trajectory of the scythes on ropes, but to no avail. Hastily, Fugaku made a few hand seals, simultaneously taking a deep breath. _Katon! Karyuudan!_ (Fire Element! Fire Dragon Missle!) A fiery apparition of a dragon shot out from Fugaku's mouth, heading towards the body of the puppet. At the last moment, a large shield unfolded in front of Kokushibyou, blocking the jutsu.

"It's pointless!" Daichi yelled in glee. Fugaku could only evade the scythes as the ropes shot past him. "Gotcha," The scythes, having extended past Fugaku, now turned back, the steel ropes surrounding him, making it impossible for Fugaku to escape. Fugaku struggled desperately as the ropes tightened around him. The scythes closed in on the bound Fugaku like deadly fangs.

Daichi smiled grimly as the scythes went through Fugaku, impaling him on them. "No one ever survives that. Gai no Banshi (Scythes of Certain Death), complete!" But no screams of agony, or even moans emitted from the bundle that was Fugaku. Instead there was only a silent poof.

"What-" Daichi scowled, untangling the ropes and scythes. "It was a kage bunshin," a voice whispered near his ear. Daichi's eyes widened with fear. Fugaku was holding a katana at Daichi's back. Before Fugaku could thrust the katana into his foe, Daichi performed a Kawamiri with his puppet.

The black spectre loomed over Fugaku, bristling with scythes.

* * *

Sakumo finally saw an opening in Uekiya's defense. Not wasting the chance, Sakumo drove his fist into the body of the puppet, effectively shattering it. _Now's the time!_ Leaping sideways, he rapidly performed a series of handseals. "Raiton! Hyakurai! (Thunder Element! Hundred Thunderclaps!)" Sakumo grasped his left hand with his right, flowing white chakra down his hand. There was a great sound, like hundreds of thunderclaps. As the air rumbled, he swept his hand in the direction of Chiyo and the other two puppets. As the soundwave travelled, the ground trembled, and a mini-sandstorm of sorts was created. The two puppets and Chiyo were hit by the full force of the jutsu. 

When the dust cleared, Chiyo was nowhere in sight. Glancing in the direction of Fugaku, he saw a large black puppet looming over him, clearly closing in for the kill. _Shit! This is bad!_ Sakumo concentrated his chakra in his body, infusing his entire body with Lightning chakra. Feeling his body become extremely fast, he dashed towards Chiyo's son, chakra blade glinting. Daichi barely had time to notice Sakumo before Sakumo sunk his blade to the hilt into Daichi's chest.

Daichi wore a look of disbelief on his face. "H…how…… is this the power of the White Fang?" He gave a small spasm, and his head drooped. Blood trickled down from Daichi's mouth onto the dirt, forming a little stream. "It's over," Sakumo whispered, slowly extracting his bloody katana.


End file.
